Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in Barksdale AFB

Date & Time: Oct 13, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
41-7448
Flight Type:
MSN:
7448
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on landing at Barksdale AFB and destroyed by fire. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in Hickam AFB

Date & Time: Oct 1, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
40-1397
Flight Phase:
MSN:
1397
YOM:
1940
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed on take off at Hickam Field, Honolulu. Crew fate unknown.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in Australia

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1942 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
40-1403
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1403
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful mission and landing, crew evacuate the runway to rich his parking place. While rolling on taxiway, aircraft became uncontrollable, run down an embankment and came to rest in a ravine. All eight crew were uninjured as the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in Port Moresby

Date & Time: Sep 26, 1942 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
40-1392
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1392
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the take off run, crew mistakenly retracted the landing gear while the aircraft was still on the ground. Aircraft skidded on runway and came to rest. All occupants survived but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
Poor crew coordination and misfollowing of take off procedures.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in Lockhart River: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 13, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
40-1433
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lockhart River - Lockhart River
MSN:
1433
YOM:
1940
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was returning to his base following a bombing mission to Lae. On landing at Lockhart River-Iron Range Airfield, a tyre burst. The aircraft veered off runway and came to rest in flames. The copilot was killed while all seven other occupants were injured. The aircraft was written off.
Crew (22nd BG):
2nd Lt Walter Krell, pilot,
P/O Graham Brindley John Robertson, copilot. †
Probable cause:
Tyre burst on landing.

Crash of a Martin B-26A-1 Marauder in Little Rock: 6 killed

Date & Time: Sep 2, 1942 at 2315 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
41-7441
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Little Rock – Barksdale
MSN:
7441
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
Shortly after its night take off from Little Rock, while climbing, the twin engine aircraft went out of control and crashed in a huge explosion in a field located 7 miles northwest of Little Rock. All six crew members were killed.
Crew:
1st Lt Kenneth E. Reddy, pilot,
2nd Lt Charles S. Brachbill, copilot,
2nd Lt Phillip Williams, navigator,
Sgt Thomas T. Roberts, flight engineer,
Cpl Dominic T. Moduno, radio operator,
Pvt Thomas A. Naylon, assistant radio operator.
Probable cause:
Investigators were unable to determine the exact cause of the accident. Witnesses' statements were vague and conflicting.

Crash of a Martin B-26A-1 Marauder near Shreveport: 5 killed

Date & Time: Aug 26, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
41-7451
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Barksdale - Barksdale
MSN:
7451
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a training flight from Barksdale AFB. En route, the pilot lost control of the aircraft following an engine failure. The aircraft crashed in a field located 10 miles south of Shreveport and all five crew members were killed.
Crew:
Louis F. Greis, pilot, 4.
Probable cause:
Engine failure.

Crash of a Martin B-26A-1 Marauder near Barksdale AFB: 8 killed

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
41-7482
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Barksdale - Barksdale
MSN:
7482
YOM:
1941
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Circumstances:
The aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances 19 miles northwest of Barksdale AFB. All eight crew members were killed.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder near Buna: 1 killed

Date & Time: Aug 13, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
40-1492
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
1492
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The crew was in charge to attack a convoy when he was hit by enemy fire. The captain was able to leave the area and attempted to make an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in shallow water off Cape Nelson, in the region of Buna. A crew member was killed while all six other occupants were injured. Crew (22nd BG).
Probable cause:
Shot down by enemy fire.

Crash of a Martin B-26 Marauder in PNG: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 9, 1942
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
40-1521
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Schedule:
Townsville – Port Moresby
MSN:
1521
YOM:
1940
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The crew left Townsville on a flight to Port Moresby (7 Mile Aerodrome). About thirty minutes prior to the ETA, the crew encountered poor weather conditions and the visibility was low. The captain was able to gain height and continued above the cloud layer. Unfortunately, the aircraft christened 'Yankee Clipper' overflew Port Moresby and continued to the north. Due to fuel shortage, all eight occupants decided to abandon the aircraft and bailed out. While the aircraft crashed and was lost, six crew members were recovered (some of them eight days later) while two others were killed.
Crew (22nd BG):
Lt Duncan A. Seffern, pilot,
2nd Lt James A. Michael, copilot, †
Sgt Paul L. Ramsey, bombardier,
2nd Lt Carroll W. Casteel, navigator, †
Tom Riley, air gunner,
Sgt Kenneth R. Gundling, radio operator,
Sgt George T. Rickman, flight engineer,
Vern Haugland.
Probable cause:
Fuel exhaustion.